Loose-leaf books are publications kept in three-ring or post binders. These services have one very real advantage over hard bound publications. They can be improved upon and updated very easily. When a hard bound form book needs to modify or update a form, it has two choices: reprint the entire volume, or make the changes in pocket part or supplement.

Loose-leafs, however, have the ability to change individual pages, sending out replacements to those subscribing the the service. The old page is then discarded, and the new page is inserted.

Notice the spine of the book on the left. Zoom in on the bottom of the volume. This is the last volume in the set, and the spine indicates that there is an index in this volume. The index is not just for this volume, but for the entire set of Moore's Federal Practice. The researcher would begin researching within this set by looking in this volume for the index.

THE INDEX

As mentioned on the Cover page, the researcher should seek out the index. The index then provides information that will lead to the main volumes.

THE MAIN VOLUME

As you can see by the example provided here, this publication provides commentary on federal litigation procedure and practice. Note the references to primary authority in the footnotes at the bottom of the page. Can you find any references to:

-the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure?

-A U.S. Supreme Court case?

-secondary authority, such as a legal periodical?

Thus, the book not only provides guidance on federal practice, it can act as a source leading to other authority.

MORE . . .

Moore's Federal Practice is considered secondary authority.

If you find a set in your library, it may be advisable to determine when it was last updated. If your set has not been update in several years, other resources may be more current. The most consistent way to determine how up-to-date the set is would be to locate the index. On the bottom of the page, you will find a date in very, very small print, indicating the date that the index was updated. It should not be more than a year old.